Metropolitan, Statewide & Non-Metropolitan Planning

Overview

In urbanized areas (with a population of 50,000 or more), federal planning law (49 U.S.C. 5303) calls upon local officials to cooperate with states and public transportation providers in undertaking a continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) multimodal transportation planning process. Well-organized, inclusive transportation planning can help a region meet current needs while preparing for future challenges.

In non-metropolitan areas, federal planning law (49 U.S.C. 5304) requires each state to cooperate with local officials to develop a long-range statewide transportation plan and statewide transportation improvement program (STIP). These planning and programming documents are developed through a continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) process carried out on a statewide basis and coordinated with the metropolitan panning processes of the state. For nonmetropolitan areas, the statewide transportation plan must be developed in cooperation with affected nonmetropolitan officials with responsibility for transportation or, if applicable, through regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs). Funding is available from FTA to support statewide and non-metropolitan planning through 49 U.S.C. 5305(e). Planning programs are jointly administered by FTA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which provides additional funding.

U.S. Code Title 49, Chapter 53 - Public Transportation- This is the public transportation section of U.S. Code. The Metropolitan Transportation Planning statute is found at Section 5303; Statewide Transportation Planning is found at Section 5304; and Planning Programs are found at Section 5305. The Metro and Statewide Planning sections are identical to the corresponding sections of Federal Highways code, 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135.